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I Love Classical Ukulele Website

Fans of classical ukulele might be interested in a new website I've just launched called I Love Classical Ukulele. The aim is to create a showcase of classical ukulele players with links to their websites and social media. It will, I hope, provide a database of classical ukulele arrangements, books & CD's. There is also a resource page with downloadable tutorials about scales, decoding the fingerboard, how to read tab etc. I'll be building on this material so if you would like to stay updated than you can subscribe (for free) to receive notifications. I'll also be starting a blog with interviews, articles on topics such as tone production and technique, and general thoughts on life (only joking)!

When I started playing classical ukulele I found it difficult to locate material so I hope this website will be a hub for all things classical ukulele.

So far I've only focused on artists who specialise in classical ukulele but I realise that many players, such as Jake Shimabukuro and James Hill, have a 'classical side' so I will be exploring this later.

Please note: This site is an ongoing project and I'm open to any suggestions you might have for ways I can improve this site.

Good luck and best wishes for your ongoing project; I will follow it with great interest. I guess we are many to consider your work as one of the most inspirational in the uke planet, because you have an in-depth understanding of the music as an art and a craft : you know better than others what "works" on an uke and your transcriptions always respect carefully the composers intentions. Your e-book "the beauty of uke" made me love and understand better the romantic guitar pieces I was not very fond of, considering them less challenging and complex than renaissance and baroque pieces. And I must thank you for helping me to come to terms with this misconception.
If you allow me to make a wish, I would love to see what you would make of Sor's study 17 op. 35, one of most exquisite which I didn't find any transcription for the uke. But any news from you will be most welcome.
All the best,
Gilles

Here's my suggestion. When you have an idea like "classical ukulele" there are two components: 1. classical music and 2. ukulele. Most of the effort is levied to bridge the gap to classical music from the realm of ukulele. However, there isn't much effort going the other way: to bridge the gap coming from classical music and going to the ukulele. So maybe you could have some resources to reduce the culture shock of coming from classical music to the ukulele. For example (I know this is irrational and totally my problem but), I feel a bit insulted when presented with tabs. The way I see it is I have taken the 30 seconds and learned how to read music, and I have been doing it since the 80's; therefore just give the sheet music without telling me where to put my fingers. So, I guess things that would appeal to me would be tips on what music lends itself to the ukulele transition, tips on transposing, tips on how to overcome the limitations of only having two octaves, tips on ornamentation (I can physically play the notes in Sainte Colombe's Allemande in G minor on a uke, but how do I play them better? trills? dynamics? etc).

It is very possible that I am the freak and no one else cares about this...but I thought I would throw it out there for your consideration.

...I feel a bit insulted when presented with tabs. The way I see it is I have taken the 30 seconds and learned how to read music, and I have been doing it since the 80's; therefore just give the sheet music without telling me where to put my fingers.

This is why I love tab that shows both tab and traditional notation, along with all of the other diacritical markings in the music.

Playing ukulele since January 2016.

Have you participated in the thread, "How the Ukulele Found You?" If not, please consider adding your story--they are just fun to read.

I agree, both notation & tab would benefit the majority, but especially people new to playing the uke.

I only have one book of classical, the (Hal Leonard) 'Classical Themes for Fingerstyle Ukulele', & am trying to learn a couple of tunes from it, along with everything else I'm trying to do, so any pointers for us self taught bedroom musicians would be nice to have.

Trying to do justice to various musical instruments. Formerly known as uke1950.